The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) president, Solomon Ogba, has stated that athletes participating in 100m, 200m, 400m and all throw events, will be tested for drugs ahead of the 21st Mobil Track and Field Championship scheduled to hold at the U.J Esuene Stadium in Calabar from June 24-26.
The dope test is slated for Monday, June 21 in Calabar. According to Ogba, the test is to checkmate the inflow of drug cheats.
In the same vein, Ogba has expressed a strong desire to see Nigerian athletes triumph at the Commonwealth Games holding in New Delhi, India in October.
He noted that the AFN had set new entry standards which were released on Friday to make sure that the championship will not be an all-comers affair.
For the men 100m, the AFN has set a time of 10.60secs as minimum entry qualification for all participating athletes, while in the female category, the qualifying time is 11.80secs.
In the 200metres, a qualifying time of 21.5secs and 24.5secs must be adhered to in the male and female categories respectively.
For the field events, male athletes must be able to throw 55metres, while female athletes must throw 35metres.
Other standards set are 48secs and 55secs for 400m in the male and female categories.
Others are 1.53min and 2.10min (800 metres). Athletes in the 1,500m must be able to run 3.52 min and 4.30mins respectively.
Golden Jackpot
Meanwhile, 10 athletes have won the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) One million naira Jackpot at the final leg of the AFN Golden League which was concluded in Oghara, Delta State on Friday, June 19.
Each of the athletes earned 100,000 Naira for their effort while Ishiaku Mohammed was named the best athlete for the Golden League. Ishiaku was picked by the AFN to represent Nigeria at the World Junior athletics Championship in Moncton, Canada in August.
Some of the athletes that were awarded One hundred thousand Naira include:
- Etim Margaret Etim (400m)
- Chinazom Amadi (long jump)
- Ishiaku Mohammed (10,000m)
- Ogho-Oghene Egwero (100m)
- Samuel Okon(400m)